Lacson Pushes Open Bicam, Longer 'Review' Period for Budget Bill

Lacson Pushes Open Bicam, Longer 'Review' Period for Budget Bill

More at: https://pinglacson.net/2025/07/30/lacson-pushes-open-bicam-longer-review-period-for-budget-bill/

Opening the bicameral conference committee proceedings on the national budget to the public may not fully prevent the insertion of "pork barrel" funds, but it would certainly help pinpoint the lawmakers who attempt to do so, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson said the "Open Bicam" that he and fellow lawmakers in the Senate and House of Representatives are pushing will be a big step towards transparency in the budget process.

Also, he pushed for longer periods for the Senate to review the House's amendments to the National Expenditure Program, and for Congress to review and revise the budget bill if the President vetoes it.

"It is still possible that some insertions could be made, but at least we can identify those who did so for their projects. We can track the differences between the General Appropriations Bill and the National Expenditure Program, with the public observing and with minutes and transcripts of the proceedings," he said in Filipino in an interview on Bombo Radyo Philippines.

"For their part, lawmakers will think twice before making insertions or realignments because they can be identified," he added.

Lacson has re-filed a Senate bill institutionalizing the participation of accredited non-government organizations and civil society groups in the budget process, including the bicameral conference committee.

He is also a co-author of a joint resolution calling for a completely open bicam process, to prevent a repeat of the mangling of what is now the 2025 budget.

Meanwhile, Lacson also called for ample time to enroll and review the budget bill so that if the President vetoes it, lawmakers can review and resubmit it for the President's signature before Dec. 31. He also noted that in past years, lawmakers were pressured into signing the bill because they had no time to fully review it for anomalies.

"We need ample time to enroll the budget bill and to review and re-enroll it if the President vetoes it. The deadline is Dec. 31. If the President doesn't sign it by that date, we automatically have a reenacted budget on Jan. 1," he said.

"There have been new developments toward transparency in the budgeting process, because the President himself has said he will not sign a budget that is not aligned with the NEP," he added.

Lacson, Itinulak ang Open Bicam, Sapat na 'Review' Period para sa Budget Bill

More at: https://pinglacson.net/2025/07/30/lacson-pushes-open-bicam-longer-review-period-for-budget-bill/

Bagama't hindi magagarantiya ng "Open Bicam" sa budget ang zero insertion, makakatulong ito sa pagtukoy ng mambabatas na magtatangka nito, ayon kay Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson ngayong Miyerkules.

Ani Lacson, ang "Open Bicam" na tinutulak niya at ng kanyang kapwa mambabatas sa Senado at Kamara ay magiging malaking hakbang patungo sa transparency sa budget process.

Itintulak din ni Lacson ang sapat na panahon para ma-review ng Senado ang amendment ng Kamara sa National Expenditure Program, at sapat na panahon din para ma-review at ma-rebisa ng Kongreso ang panukalang budget kung sakaling i-veto ito ng Pangulo.

"Pwedeng hindi mawala completely or totally (ang insertions) pero at least ma-identify natin kung sino ang nag-insert o nag-realign ng pondo para sa mga proyekto na naiba sa NEP at napalitan pagdating sa Kongreso. Madaling ma-pinpoint kasi kung nakamatyag ang publiko on top of magkaroon ng minutes kasi ang bicam ng budget walang minutes. Pero kung may minutes, may transcripts, kitang kita natin kung sino ang mambabatas na nagsingit," aniya sa panayam sa Bombo Radyo Philippines.

"At ang mambabatas, siyempre maingat sila sa pagsisingit dahil alam nilang matutuntong sa kanila," dagdag niya.

Naghain muli si Lacson ng panukala na tinitiyak ang paglahok ng accredited na non-government organization at civil society group sa budget process, kabilang ang bicameral conference committee.

Co-author din siya sa isang joint resolution na nananawagan para sa open bicam, para hindi maulit ang pagyurak sa ngayo'y 2025 budget.

Samantala, nanawagan din si Lacson para sa sapat na panahon para i-enroll at i-review ang panukalang budget para kung i-veto man ito ng Pangulo, may sapat na panahon ang mambabatas na i-review at irebisa bago isumite muli sa Malacanang para pirmahan ng Pangulo. Aniya, sa mga nakaraang taon, napipilitan ang mambabatas na pirmahan ang panukala dahil wala nang panahon para i-review ito.

"Kailangan meron kaming ample time na ma-enroll ang bill para may pagkakataon ang pangulo na ito ay marebisa at kung kailangang ibalik niya, pwede naming review-hin at ipasa ulit. Kasi kung medyo December na, kailangan kasi ang deadline is Dec. 31. Pag di napirmahan ng pangulo ang budget measure on or before Dec. 31, automatic yan kinabukasan Jan. 1, reenacted budget," ani Lacson.

"Maraming mga bagong development na kung saan sana matungo tayo sa transparent at maayos na ang national budget na maipapasa ng Kongreso. Dahil Pangulo na mismo nagsabi na hindi niya papayagang hindi naka-align sa NEP ang budget measure na ie-enroll ng Kongreso para sa kanyang signature or veto," dagdag niya.

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